In forming color photographic prints after exposure the prints need to be processed in developing solutions. During development the gelatin containing the silver halide and color couplers is softened and becomes permeable to aqueous solutions. When the color paper is in the developing solution and immediately after removal from the developing solutions, it may be easily scratched. Such scratches to the surface of the color paper will cause an unacceptable image to be formed on the paper. The scratching of the paper leads to fogging of the silver halide grains that are being developed in the paper. This fogging gives rise to nonimagewise grain development and shows up as defects that are lines on the prints.
There have been efforts in the past to minimize the image distortions caused by wet abrasion. Representative of patents relating to these efforts are EP 244,184, U.S. Pat. No. 5,543,281, and copending and coassigned application U.S. Ser. No. 08/729,127 filed Oct. 11, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,631.